The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) continues Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 24) channel maintenance dredging on the Mississippi River Ship Channel. The dustpan dredges HURLEY, JADWIN and WALLACE McGEORGE are working on the Crossings and the industry hopper dredge GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) continues working in Southwest Pass.
DUSTPAN DREDGES WORKING ON THE CROSSINGS ABOVE NEW ORLEANS:
HURLEY: The government dustpan dredge HURLEY continues dredging full channel dimensions at Baton Rouge Front (Mile 232.5 Above Head of Passes [AHP]). The dustpan began dredging at Red Eye Crossing on June 17, 2024.
WALLACE McGEORGE: The industry dustpan dredge commenced dredging full channel dimensions at Bayou Goula (Mile 198 AHP) yesterday. The dustpan dredge began dredging for the FY 24 season at Alhambra Crossing on June 14, 2024.
JADWIN: The government dustpan dredge JADWIN is expected to begin dredging full channel dimensions at Belmont Crossing (Mile 152 AHP) overnight.
INDUSTRY HOPPER DREDGES WORKING IN THE AREA OF SOUTHWEST PASS:
GLENN EDWARDS: The GLENN EDWARDS (Manson Construction) continues dredging on assignment in SWP from Mile 3.7 AHP to Mile 0.9 Below Head of Passes. The GLENN EDWARDS began work under Southwest Pass Hopper Dredge Contract #2-2023 a Fiscal Year 2023 Early Award Hopper Contract on March 4, 2024.
MAXIMUM DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS PER PILOT ASSOCIATION:
(UNCHANGED SINCE July 6, 2023)
The updated maximum draft recommendation for each Pilot Association as adjusted due to the Mississippi River Ship Channel Deepening and a temporary reduction to 49 feet by the Bar Pilots are detailed below:
Associated Branch Pilots of the Port of New Orleans (Bar Pilots): The Bar Pilots returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on July 6, 2023. The Bar Pilots originally increased their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) on March 16, 2022, prior to the temporary reduction from May 22 to July 6 (2023).
Crescent River Port Pilots Association (CRPPA): The CPPRA raised their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) in coordination with the Bar Pilots on July 7, 2023. The CRPPA originally increased their maximum draft to 50 feet (freshwater) on July 20
New Orleans Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association (NOBRA): The NOBRA returned their maximum draft recommendation to 50 feet (freshwater) from Mile 175 AHP to Mile 88 AHP on July 7, 2023. The maximum draft recommendation from Mile 175 to 180 remains 47 feet and from Mile 180 to Mile 233.8 it remains 45 feet.
Associated Federal Pilots and Docking Masters of Louisiana (Federal Pilots): The Federal Pilots increased their maximum draft recommendations to the following to match the draft adjustment to 50 feet by the other Pilot Associations.
- 50 feet from Sea Buoy to Mile 175 AHP
- 45 feet Mile 175 AHP to 232.4 AHP
- 40 feet Mile 232.4 AHP to 233.8 AHP
The controlling maximum freshwater draft for the MRSC from Mile 175 AHP (Smoke Bend) to the Southwest Pass Sea Buoy is 50 feet (freshwater) as adjusted on July 7, 2023.
Mississippi River Stages and Forecast Updates:
The Carrollton Gage (New Orleans) reading at 1000 hours today was 6.11 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.46 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Carrollton Gage issued today forecasts stages will continue a slow rise to 6.7 feet on July 21 and will then begin a slow fall to 5.0 feet on August 13 (2024).
The Baton Rouge Gage reading at 1000 hours was 20.09 feet with a 24-hour change of + 0.46 feet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service Extended Streamflow Prediction (28-Day) for the Baton Rouge Gauge issued today forecasts stages will continue a slow rise to 20.9 feet on July 20 and then begin a slow fall to 16.0 feet on August 13 (2024).
